Re: Assigning scanner profiles
Re: Assigning scanner profiles
- Subject: Re: Assigning scanner profiles
- From: Henrik Holmegaard <email@hidden>
- Date: Sun, 23 Dec 2001 08:51:18 +0100
email@hidden
If I scan as a Photoshop plugin, the image is tagged as Adobe RGB (my
working space), to which I assign the scanner profile and then convert back
to Adobe RGB. If I use the scanner as a stand alone, I get an untagged RGB
file, that I save as a tif and then open up in Photoshop, followed by all
the assigning and converting.
For professional work use a professional tool like LinoColor, the
Nikon tool clearly isn't intended for professional use, but anyway:
Assigning does not change the numbers, it preserves the numbers and
lets you see how those numbers are interpreted when plotted into the
ICC connection space by the different profiles you select. Therefore,
you are in principle loosing nothing as long as the RGB numbers are
unchanged, but you also don't know know what real colors those
numbers are supposed to define, so that's a pickle.
If the scanner allows you an untagged export, then that export must
be considered raw RGB. It does not matter whether it is in fact RGB
converted into say sRGB before export (which it almost certainly is).
This is what the scanner gives you, and you can't get anything else
out. Neither Lab D50 nor any choice of matrix-based or LUT-based RGB
spaces.
Therefore, scan a Kodak IT8 transparency, create a profile in Eye-One
Match or ProfileMaker or whatever scanner profiling software you may
have, and compare this scanner profile with standard IT8 scanner
profiles bundled with a professional scanner software and the most
common Adobe RGB 'monitor' working spaces in Steve's ColorThink. This
should tell you how best to avoid loosing colors.
If the scanner only gives you sRGB which is the equivalent of an
average of uncalibrated monitors, then the scanner space for high
gamut transparency is cropped on export and is simply too small for
photographic use. Get yourself a scanner software that does not crop
the gamut, or you will be unable to capture colors which are
printable whether in inkjet, high gamut four color offset or high
gamut six color offset.
Hope this helps.